Sometimes You Have To Risk It All (To Get What You Want)
by EveIyapo
Summary: Rhodes Scholars are at it again in this sequel to Double Life. Cody Rhodes & Damien Sandow are trying to balance their relationship needs and Shadow needs in the aftermath of Randy Orton's death. Octavia is living with Austin Aries and truly cares for him but when she begins piecing together disturbing parts of his life not spent with her she becomes suspicious of his activities.
1. Like Old Times

**Disclaimer: This story is rated M and will be highly violent including but not limited to sexual situations, M/M slash, possible M/M/F, torture, disturbing imagery and language. If for some reason I feel a chapter exceeds what's been listed in this disclaimer I will put a warning at the beginning of the chapter in question giving you the option to skip it. If you've made it through Double Life though, you have to know what to expect by now :) Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow and Austin Aries belong to WWE and TNA respectively. I own original characters only. Now, on to the fic! I hope you enjoy it and as always, constructive criticism is always welcome!**

Chapter 1 – Like Old Times

"Ugh… Oh god…"

After several tries the man was finally able to open his eyes fully. His head pounded viciously, a natural response to the concussion he had. Slowly he came to realize that his hands were bound above his head and his arms and shoulders ached something fierce; he was hanging by his bound hands from a chain on the ceiling. A chill in the air raised goosebumps on his skin and he realized with a start that he was also naked.

"The fuck?"

Suddenly more alert in spite of his aching head, he took the moment of clarity and used it to study his surroundings.

Stone walls with pipes running alongside them.

The sound of rushing water in the distance.

Rats scurrying along the stone floor.

Definitely underground.

The ache in his shoulders, the strain was becoming unbearable and he began to struggle, to swing back and forth hoping he'd free himself and drop to the floor. Several minutes passed and he made no kind of progress so he decided to call out.

"Is there someone there? Can somebody help me?! Please! I'm in a lot of pain!"

"Not yet, but you will be," said a voice in the darkness.

The man's eyes widened frantically and he strained trying to see who had spoken. "Who's there?!"

All of a sudden he was blinded by flood lamps, two of them clicking on at the same time and both were trained directly on him. When his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness he was shocked to see there were two men in the chamber with him. They were both wearing thick heavy aprons over their clothes and steel toed boots but that was where the similarities ended.

One of them was slightly taller with medium length black hair that was slicked back and a full well groomed beard. He had an unmistakable distinguished air about him. The second man was a little shorter and definitely younger with a chiseled jaw and boyish good looks. He had short brown hair and a neatly trimmed mustache.

They were both wearing looks of anticipation and they each held a balisong butterfly knife in their right hand. The man's eyes flickered from the faces of the men in front of him to the weapons they were holding. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the night was about to end very badly for him.

The man with the black hair walked around the man dangling by his wrists in a wide circle, slowly, looking him up and down with a pleasant smile on his face. "We've been waiting patiently for you to awaken," said the man with a hint of amusement. "We're glad that you're finally with us." He chuckled a bit then and walked over to a portable stereo sitting near the entrance to the chamber. He turned to look at his partner and asked, "Cody? Do you have any preference on our musical accompaniment tonight?"

The man that had to be Cody didn't take his eyes off of his prey but answered anyway saying, "No Damien. I'm sure that whatever you decide will be perfect."

A light chuckle could be heard near the entrance and soon the sound of the first measure of "Spring" of the "Four Seasons" by Vivaldi filled the large chamber. The sound bounced off the walls of stone due to the terrible acoustics but Sandow didn't seem to mind. He was already settling into his Shadow mindset and behind him Cody was doing the same.

Their Shadows… That ever present need, that hunger to maim, to torture and to kill other human beings that had become their prey. It was a darkness that the two had been better able to keep at bay after they became partners and lovers. But due to their growing popularity as wrestlers with WWE it was becoming harder and harder to fulfill their Shadow needs.

Tonight would be their first kill in over three months.

Cody Rhodes glanced over his shoulder at his partner, smiling when he saw him conducting in the air with his eyes closed.

"Damien?"

"Hmmm?"

"Can I start? I mean, I'm about ready to explode!"

Damien laughed. "By all means Cody."

Cody walked up to his prey that was trembling from both pain and fear.

"What? Nothing to say? No begging? No pleading for your life?"

The man looked at him with an odd kind of resignation. "Would it make any difference?"

"No. It wouldn't." And Cody slashed at him, slicing him from collarbone to hipbone. The sound of his screams along with "Four Seasons" was literally music to the two members of Rhodes Scholars ears. The sight of the blood welling from the quick cut and dripping to the floor, simply glorious. Cody sighed feeling euphoric. But he knew he could fly higher and did so by slicing the man from sternum to groin. The man bellowed in pain, the sharp sting of the blade nearly stealing his breath. Encouraged by ruby liquid dripping onto the stone floor Cody began slashing in earnest, drawing fast deep lines across the front of the man's torso. His screams reached all new heights which prompted Sandow to turn around and watch.

Several minutes later Cody paused feeling, rather than seeing Damien's presence beside him, admiring his work.

"Beautiful as always Cody," said the older man.

"Thanks Damien," replied Cody. He was grinning like one might receiving praise from a beloved mentor. "Did you want a turn or shall we do him together?"

Sandow smirked and held up his blade. "Together."

For the next hour they tortured the man by cutting off digits, impaling him with different blades, swinging his body like a pendulum while letting his feet drag over the knives in their hands. By the time they were satisfied the man was barely conscious and had lost quite a bit of blood on the stone floor.

Now they each held their blades over their prey's chest, over his lungs. Damien stared into Cody's eyes feeling a certain kind peace within them. He nodded at his partner and they simultaneously slid their blades home, watching as their prey's eyes flew open for the last time, his breath leaving in a long gurgling sigh as blood spilled over his lips.

He was gone.

Their Shadows were finally sated.

Cody gave Damien a bright happy smile.

"Thank you for this Damien. It was truly perfect."


	2. Consequences

Chapter 2 – Consequences

_"__What's the matter Orton?" Cody watched as his former friend spit out blood and several teeth. With a cruel smile, Cody leaned down and punched the man again and again, so high from the punishment he was doling out that he felt no pain in his hands. "You can dish it out but you can't take it?"_

_Randy spat out more blood before staring up at Cody. "I can take it you fucking bitch. I took you didn't I?" Randy laughed until Cody punched him once more in the face._

_"__Shut up! Just shut your mouth!" Cody felt some of that old shame wash over him and it instantly made him angrier. He got to his feet and sent a swift kick to Randy's midsection, smiling with satisfaction when the older man's breath left in a harsh 'whoosh' of pain._

_Coughing, Randy rolled on to his side. He glared up at Cody with a demented smirk on his lips. "You loved it didn't you? You loved how my dick split your ass wide open. You may still be fucking Damien but you're going to feel me forever."_

_Rage and shame swirled around and around inside Cody Rhodes. He screamed wordlessly at Orton, his words cutting him so deep and he didn't even know why. A butterfly knife suddenly appeared in his hand and he fell onto Orton, slashing and stabbing, his vision going red. And through it all Randy only laughed, he laughed and giggled like he wasn't being shredded over and over with a blade._

_Exhausted, Cody finally fell to his knees before the mangled body of Randy Orton. But he wasn't dead, he was still grinning obscenely at Cody, mockingly. The Viper hissed at Cody and the younger man watched in horror as a long forked tongue flicked out of his mouth._

_"__Why won't you die?!" shrieked Cody. He reared back with the knife in hand, high up in the air, ready to strike one final blow._

_The Viper Randy Orton smirked at Cody like he hadn't a care in the world. "I'll be waiting for you in Hell Rhodes. I'll be waiting to finish what I started in that strip club fucker."_

_Cody screamed as he brought the knife down, jamming it into Randy's throat. Blood spurted from the wound, black and thick as The Viper's hateful words echoed in his ears. Randy Orton continued to grin even as his eyes went glassy, dead._

The younger half of Rhodes Scholars sat bolt upright in bed; a muffled cry escaping his lips. Hot tears ran tracks down his cheeks, the nightmare still vivid and fresh in his mind. Why couldn't he shake it? This was the fourth nightmare he'd had about Randy Orton in the six months since they'd killed him. Every dream was different but they all had one recurring theme. Humiliation. In each nightmare Randy would go to great lengths to shame Cody, to make him relive the rape and degradation that followed the assault.

Cody trembled, feeling dirty and sick to his stomach. Even though dead, Randy still was affecting him.

"I thought I was over it. Why can't I get over it!" hissed Cody softly. A startled snore sounded next to him and he looked down to see Damien blinking the sleep from his eyes.

"Cody? What's wrong?" asked the older man. He heard Cody sniff in the darkness and immediately he sat up and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"I uh… I had another nightmare… about _him_," whispered Cody. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm sorry Damien."

Sandow pulled Cody closer to him, holding him tight. "It's nothing to be ashamed of Cody. It's natural to have some residual effects from your attack. I'm only surprised it didn't happen sooner." Then something seemed to occur to Damien and he pulled back so he could look Cody in the face.

"Do you regret killing Orton?"

Cody was taken aback by the question but paused making sure he could answer his partner truthfully. After a moment he said, "No, I don't regret what we did. Maybe I'm just upset that it even had to come to that."

"He hurt you Cody. He _violated_ you," growled Damien with conviction. "He deserved everything he got and more and I hope you realize that."

"Damien… I…"

"Shh… That's enough Cody," admonished Sandow softly. He pressed a gentle kiss to the younger man's temple and coaxed him to lie down with him.

"Get some rest. I'm here with you, that's all that matters."

Cody placed his hand over top of Damien's around his waist; the panic and humiliation from the nightmare finally starting to fade. He felt safe with Sandow and that was enough to lure him back to sleep, dreamless and peaceful.

The following morning, Cody woke up alone, much like he had the first time Sandow invited him to his condo. In the light of day, his nightmare and subsequent reaction to it seemed juvenile and a bit foolish. But Damien had calmed him and helped him get back to sleep. The thought made Cody smile. And then he remembered their kill from the night before and it sent a thrill through his body. He and Damien had been so in sync! Their kill had gone perfectly and their Shadows satisfied for the time being.

Cody got out of bed and after slipping on the new forest green robe Damien had bought him he padded out of the bedroom and down the hall to the kitchen. Like before, Sandow had laid out a large, mouthwatering breakfast for the two of them.

Turning away from the stove Damien gave Cody a beatific smile.

"Good morning," he intoned warmly. "You can go ahead and have a seat at the table. Breakfast is ready." He watched as Cody sat down and removed his apron before sitting across from his partner.

They began eating, the conversation flowing lightly between them. Sandow laughed at something silly he said and Cody felt a pleasant twinge in his chest. Whenever Sandow laughed, really, truly laughed, he showed all those perfect teeth and little crinkly lines would show at the corner of his eyes. It warmed Cody all over knowing he was the one making his partner so joyful and happy.

Sandow's laughter dissolved into chuckles as he picked his fork back up. Then noticing that Cody was no longer laughing with him, but instead watching him with a strange look on his face made him put the fork back down again.

"Is there something wrong?"

Cody shook his head and gave Sandow a weak smile before going back to the food in front of him. But there _was_ something wrong. It'd snuck up on him and now he didn't know how to handle it. Cody Rhodes was irrevocably in love with Damien Sandow. And somehow, that word complicated things for him in his mind. He knew Damien cared for him but to what extent? After all, he had been partners with Austin Aries before and it was clear that no matter how irritating he found the man, even though they'd never been lovers, Sandow still cared for him as well.

Sandow was watching his partner closely now, concern etching his handsome features. "I wish you would tell me what's suddenly troubling you Cody."

Cody forced a brighter smile this time. "It's nothing Damien. It's nothing."


	3. Proclamation

Chapter 3 – Proclamation

"You like that?"

"Yes… Oh god yes…"

"You gonna come for me 'Tavia? Tell me you're gonna come for me!"

"I am… Don't stop Austin. Don't… Stop…"

Octavia lay on her stomach, moaning and writhing underneath Aries. His hard body lay on top of hers, his arms hooked under hers so that he could prop himself up on his elbows while he pumped slowly inside of her. Austin rolled his hips against her soft ass, thrusting agonizingly slow, relishing each and every moan that escaped her lips.

Octavia wriggled beneath him, unable to push back like she wanted to because of the position they were in. Figuring she wanted to change position, Austin sat up on his knees, pulling Octavia back with him so she was now riding him, her knees on the outside of his on the bed. Hissing at the new, deeper angle Octavia ground herself in Austin's lap while he thrust up inside her, the pace still slow and smooth.

Aries cupped her breast with one hand, rolling her hard nipple between his thumb and forefinger while he held her throat with his other hand at times stroking or squeezing lightly. Octavia was in heaven and Aries was an overload to her senses. The slow pace of their love making somehow more intense, more intimate.

"Oh baby, I'm gonna come," Octavia whispered. She could feel it; a warmth of pleasure in the pit of her stomach, slowly spreading outward. It was just within reach and suddenly she gasped, throwing her head back onto Austin's shoulder as she rode the waves of her orgasm.

Feeling her walls convulsing around his dick, hearing her breathy moans was enough to push Austin over the edge as well. He thrust up into her as far as he could go, squeezing her throat so tight he could feel her pulse pounding beneath his thumb as he exploded within her, spurt after spurt of his seed coating her walls; filling her so much that it began to leak out around his dick though he was still buried within her.

"Fuuuck," exhaled Austin kissing her neck sloppily. "God I fucking love you 'Tavia." Then not giving her a chance to respond Aries pulled out of her slowly, chuckling at her gasp at his withdrawal. No longer joined, the two collapsed onto the bed facing each other as the endorphins began to fade.

Aries grabbed Octavia's leg and placed it over his hip so that his soft member was pressing against her mound. When she looked at him in surprise he chuckled. "I want to be able to slip inside you at a moment's notice."

Octavia giggled. The man was insatiable. Her mind flashed on several instances where he'd caught her doing something menial like chores or even cooking to suddenly flip up her skirt or pull down her pants, fucking her senseless right then and there. The most recent episode happened while she was doing the dishes that morning. "Honey, you've been doing that anyway. Before I met you it never took me two hours to do the dishes."

Austin smirked while reaching forward to finger the small curls on her head. "What can I say? You're so damn beautiful and sexy and you're fucking mine." He continued to play with her hair until his breathing deepened and his eyes drifted shut. His hand rested warm on her cheek until Octavia placed it on the pillow in front of his face.

She was having a hard time getting to sleep as was the norm. She could still feel his seed dribbling out from between her pussy lips. She could still hear his proclamation of loving her in her ears. But it wasn't the first time he'd told her he loved her. For the past few weeks in fact, every time they had sex he told her he loved her. And every time Octavia remained silent. She cared for Austin, very much so but she didn't think it was love. She wondered how long her silence on the subject would be okay with him. Maybe he didn't care if she loved him or not? After all as far as he was concerned, she was his anyway.

_"__Oh Austin… I hope you can be content with what I'm willing, no, able to give," thought Octavia. She stared at his face, his normally hard features, softened in sleep. "Damien and Cody were so worried about us, but if we can stay just like this I have no doubt that we'll be fine. We can be together as long as things don't change."_

But even as she was thinking it, Octavia knew it wasn't true. Everything changes. The world is in a constant state of change. But for now she was content with the self proclaimed greatest man who ever lived. She just hoped that he would remain content with her; that her body and her affection, though not her heart, would be enough for him.


End file.
